UN / IRAN

During a Security Council meeting on nuclear non-proliferation, US Ambassador Susan Rice said that after the latest IAEA report, "no one" believes in the purely peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme. UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:29
• Production Date: 21 December 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; DEVELOPMENT; TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER; PROMOTION; SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; NUCLEAR SCIENCE
• MAMS Id: U111221a

Description

STORY: UN / IRAN
TRT: 2.29
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / SPANISH / NATS

DATELINE: 21 DECEMBER 2011, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

21 DECEMBER 2011, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“No one, after reading the November report can reasonably believe Iran’s contention that its continuing uranium enrichment programme is for peaceful purposes only. The decision by the IAEA Board of Governors last month to censure Iran demonstrated yet again the overwhelming view of the international community that Iran’s illicit nuclear activities are unacceptable. The Council therefore must redouble its efforts to implement the sanctions already imposed.”
5. Med shot, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“My Government remains seriously concerned that the Panel’s final report has not yet been released to the wider UN membership because of the continued objections of a couple members of this Council. This is an appalling failure of transparency. As I’ve stated before, we strongly believe this report must be made available to all UN member states as soon as possible, as it highlights information and best practices that can help states carry out their obligations.”
7. Med shot, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Diane Sheard, Deputy Political Coordinator of the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations:
“Iran says that it wants a peaceful nuclear programme, but the facts do not bear this out. The rejection of the deal designed to provide Iran with reliable civilian nuclear fuel and other incentives, combined with the IAEA’s evidence can lead us to only one conclusion: Iran is determined to develop nuclear weapons capability. Now more than ever, the dual track strategy of pressure and engagement is necessary. Sanctions are a key tool to convince Iran to engage seriously with the offers on the table.”
9. Wide shot, members of the Sanctions Committee
10. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Néstor Osorio Londoño, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations:
“It is clear that there is some uneasiness over the difficulty in publishing and releasing the Report of the Panel of Experts, and I hope I can offer the means to find a way of reaching understanding so that transparency can be achieved.”
11. Med shot, delegates
12. Wide shot, Security Council

Storyline

The Security Council today (21 December) heard a briefing from the Chair of the Committee on Iran sanctions, with several members expressing concern about Iran’s failure to comply with relevant resolutions.

United States’ Ambassador Susan Rice told the Council that after the publication of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) November report, “no one” can “reasonably believe Iran’s contention that its continuing uranium enrichment programme is for peaceful purposes only.”

Rice said that the decision by the IAEA Board of Governors to censure Iran “demonstrated yet again the overwhelming view of the international community that Iran’s illicit nuclear activities are unacceptable.”

She stressed that the Council “must redouble its efforts to implement the sanctions already imposed.”

Rice also criticized the delay in publishing the Panel of Experts’ latest report on Iran sanctions to the wider UN membership “because of the continued objections of a couple members of this Council.”

She said this was “an appalling failure of transparency” and pointed out the urgency of releasing the report as “it highlights information and best practices that can help states carry out their obligations.”

Diane Sheard of the United Kingdom voiced similar concerns and remarked that “Iran says that it wants a peaceful nuclear programme, but the facts do not bear this out.”

Sheard noted that the report of the IAEA’s evidence, combined with Iran’s rejection of a deal designed to provide reliable civilian nuclear fuel and other incentives “can lead us to only one conclusion: Iran is determined to develop nuclear weapons capability.”

She said that “now more than ever, the dual track strategy of pressure and engagement is necessary” as sanctions “are a key tool to convince Iran to engage seriously with the offers on the table.”

The Committee’s Chair, Néstor Osorio Londoño of Colombia, acknowledged “some uneasiness” among Council members “over the difficulty in publishing and releasing the Report of the Panel of Experts”.

He said that he hoped to “offer the means to find a way of reaching understanding so that transparency can be achieved.”

Meanwhile, according to news reports, the Iranian Government has sent an invitation to a delegation from the IAEA to visit the country and the Agency is weighing a response.